“All That Glitters”: Mining and the Political Economy of Environmental Governance in Osun State

Abstract Although discussions of Nigeria’s extractive industry have traditionally revolved around oil and gas, the importance of solid minerals cannot be under-estimated. Despite their minor contribution to Nigeria’s gdp , they offer an alternative route to economic diversification and a sustainable economic path. However, as is the case of the oil economy in Nigeria, the solid minerals sector is plagued by “resource curse” indices as a result of misgovernance. Using primary and secondary data sources, this article examines one major hotspot with evidence of a resource curse in its solid minerals sector, Osun State. Despite the availability of important solid minerals such as gold, granite, laterite and sand, the crises emanating from large-scale formal and illegal mining by local lords, artisanal miners and Chinese miners have caused significant setbacks in the governance of the mining of these mineral deposits in the state. The management of these resources is also plagued by crises of corruption, extractive violence and environmental degradation, as well as inadequate corporate social responsibility. This study highlights parallels between the governance of solid minerals and resource governance in Osun State. The study recommends strengthening regulatory enforcement and prioritising corporate social responsibility projects to enhance human development in host communities.